We knew it was going to be tough — yet you amazing Toronto Sun readers answered the call!
When we asked you of your favourite stories and moments from presumably your favourite team — MLB and beyond — the response was amazing.
Many of the stories will resonate with other fans, while others are special all on their own, whether you were celebrating on downtown Toronto streets when Joe Carter hit his World Series-clinching walk-off home run in 1993, on your couch when Roberto Alomar hit a home run against Dennis Eckersley the year before, or at a rival ball club’s park to take in an epic win, Toronto Sun readers are loyal and game for anything.
Let’s take a walk down Memory Lane, shall we? Enjoy and, let’s go, Blue Jays!
“I was fortunate enough to go to the first Jays game ever. My buddy asked me to go along with is dad and brother. We left Stayner early in the morning and lined up for two hours before the gates opened to get rush seats to the outfield.
“Even though we had our snowmobile suits and boots on it was so cold. When the gates opened, the line rushed in and the ticket-takers panicked and moved away from the turnstiles. Up and over them we went and out to the stadium to put a glove on a seat then back into concession area to get warm. What great memories.”
— Dean McDonald
“I was 14 years old when the Blue Jays were playing in the ALCS against the Oakland Athletics. I had watched the whole game up until the 7th inning and with the Jays trailing I couldn’t handle the pressure, so I took my radio outside along with a glove and ball and listened outside while playing catch.
“When Eckersley came in I thought it was all over, but when Tom Cheek raised his voice in excitement upon contact from Alomar, I sprinted back to the house to watch it on TV. What a huge moment in their run to the World Series. Alomar was my favourite Jay at the time.”
—Wes Wiens
Alomar celebrating. (Getty Images)
“My husband, two daughters and I were at the game on Aug. 29, 2015, when Edwin Encarnacion hit three home runs, one of them being a grand slam. Fans were throwing their hats onto the field and we later found out that Edwin did not know what a hat trick was. The most exciting sports moment for us ever!”
— Katherine Collins
“When pinch-hitter Chris Coghlan jumped over Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina at home plate to score on April 25, 2017.”
— Patricia Quinn
“So, all of us set out for Toronto — by ‘all,’ I mean my in-laws, my children, my best friend, and my wife. My eldest, my friend, my wife and I headed to Kid Rock and my youngest and in-laws went to the Jays game. All of us were staying in a suite at the Rogers Centre.
“We were asked to leave the concert due to inadequate ID (UGH) but almost by fate, we found ourselves in the suite overlooking the Jays game — and we were in the presence of greatness. The late great Roy Halladay was on the mound against none other than the Yankees. The baseball gods had brought me before all these greats and I shifted from pissed to absolute awe.”
— Joel Reed
Roy Halladay #32 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the home opener at the Rogers Centre on April 4, 2006 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
“I was a massive John Olerud fan (had his rookie card, I did my grade five speech as him and made it to the London city finals). For my 12th birthday, my dad took me to see Olerud and the Jays play at Rogers Centre (my first ever live MLB game).
“The only problem was that there was a lefty on the mound (Kenny Rogers) and so Olerud, because of his brain aneurysm, was out of the lineup. I didn’t get to see him play. I did, however, get to watch David Cone take a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Benji Gil broke it up with a single to left. The Jays won. It was a good day!”
— Jay vK
John Olerud at bat during the Blue Jays vs. Angels game in Anaheim, California, on April 17, 1994. (Stephen Dunn/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)
“After sleeping overnight on the concrete outside the Skydome the night before Game 1 to get League return tickets, which are no longer available, for all their World Series home games, it was a toss-up whether we would travel again from Kingston to watch the Game 6 on the Skydome’s big screen. I was sicker than a dog, and wasn’t going to go until my buddies came and literally dragged me out of bed, threw me in the car and we were off.
“Although Dave Winfield’s double drove us all crazy, it was the end-of-game roar from the crowd, and watching the stands completely empty onto the field was like watching water slide down a bowl into a drain. Finally, seeing Yonge Street packed with people all the way up to North York was a mind-blower. I HUGGED A COP … and we danced!”
— Anonymous
“During a game in Atlanta in the ‘92 World Series, Candy Maldonado was playing a little too shallow in left field. The Braves batter hit a screamer that was going over Candy’s head but he jumped up and ice cream-coned it. Then he turned to the Atlanta fans in the stands with a big smile and did the Tomahawk Chop.”
— Mike Benson
“I’m 70 years old and since day one have seen a lot of great Jays moments. But my favourite, the one that stays logged in my memory forever, is the Buck Martinez broken leg plays from home plate. Will miss him in the booth.”
— Anthony Pereira
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